The Trials of a Secretary
by Agent H.E.R.O
Summary: When Louis fires Norma, he goes through secretaries like water. But has he finally found the one? How can a seemingly normal business relationship turn into so much more? Contains an OC


Author's Note: I started writing this fic about a month ago and decided to post it for fun. I feel like Louis needs more love so I decided to make him a new lover. Will be more chapters in the future. Thanks for reading!

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The Trials of a Secretary

Louis was never very good with the ladies. In high school he took his cousin to the prom, and in college he was too busy pursuing his education to care that much. But as his parents called and asked about that special someone, he realized he needed to at least try. So he did, he dated some of the girls at Pearson and Hardman, for a total of twenty dates with five different girls with a winning high score of four dates per girl. It was always on the fourth date she would start off ordering something cheap for dinner, which was a dead giveaway. She would proceed to smile politely and laugh at all of his jokes, which was another give away, he wasn't that funny. And just as he would ask for a fifth date she would start,

"It's not you,"

And he would tell her to save it, that he understood, but she would be taking a taxi or walking because he sure as hell wasn't driving her home. He remembered the last paralegal he dated, soft blue eyes, clear skin, and a flawless smile. He had broke it off with her when he saw her kissing one of the other associates (at the time) in the copy room. Of course he kept trying, first with Monica, which almost ended in a sexual harassment charge, and then with Donna. Donna would smile but shake her head opting for a friendship instead. Louis stopped attempting dates and continued to ignore his parents' request of grandkids. That's why when he saw his new secretary he didn't joke with her or even ask her name. He did tell her exactly what he wanted, when he wanted it and if she couldn't do it then she would be fired. If she was dismissed within a week like all the other secretaries since Norma well that was too bad. But after that first week and she was still sitting at her neat and organized desk he started noticing her. Monday morning he walked up to her cubicle and leaned against it, simply staring at her.

"You have an eight o'clock with Mr. Harris and then a twelve-thirty with Mrs. Lowman,"

He opened his mouth to say something but she kept going like a broken record.

"One of the first years…."

She kept talking but he stopped listening, instead drinking in her appearance like a fine wine. She was a normal weight, a normal height, not tall enough to compete with Rachael, Donna, and certainly not Jessica. She had the most unremarkable brown eyes and ordinary brown hair tucked in a loose bun. Truly, he couldn't have hired a more average person than she.

"You're very mediocre,"

Did he say that out loud? Oh well, she was his secretary and if she wanted to keep that position she would need thick skin. With that he continued on his way as if the conversation never happened, didn't even bother to see the slight raise of the eyebrows and the widened eyes because those were the first words he had said to her all week. The second day of the second week he stopped by her desk again at the end of the day. She typed rapidly, her eyes skipping across the screen and abruptly stopping when he waved his hand across the computer.

"I just want you to know that I like caramel coffee au laite with whipped cream swirled in and a pinch of nutmeg sprinkled on top which I will expect you to have on my office every Wednesday morning at approximately 8:07,"

He continued on his way out, ignoring the grin from his new secretary.

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Donna liked to think of herself as the Harvey of other secretaries. She was the best, whenever someone wanted to know something she would know it. If someone wanted to schedule an appointment at a booked establishment, she would find a way. She thought outside the box and had called in a special favor for a friend more than once. She was not expecting to find a Michael Ross secretary role so easily as she found Louis's new assistant.

The poor thing was sitting in the break room, staring into her cup of coffee like something was going to pop out of it.

"Let me guess, Louis's new girl?"

She nodded once, her eyes flicking up to Donna. Immediately Donna could pick out her flaws: her dress, her stature, her meek attitude, and her youth.

"I'm Donna, Harvey Specter's secretary,"

She pulled out the seat across from her, steeping her fingers. This girl reminded her of herself back in the early days, her half moon eyes, her elegantly tucked legs and the dark rings under those pretty eyes. Harvey had been just starting off and forgave her a good many mistakes, even some current ones. Louis Litt would not be so tolerable.

"My name's Selena,"

Donna gave her a half smile, smelling the black coffee.

"I'm going to give you some rules that will help you succeed in this firm. Learn everything about Louis. Learn his allergies, his past relationships, his interests, his hobbies, hell, even talk to his parents, anything you read or hear about him you commit to memory. Next, get some new clothes. There is no excuse for poor fashion sense at Pearson Hardman. Has he said anything to you for the past two weeks?"

She ran her hand through her hair, stressed by all the new information she was taking in on her break.

"He told me I was very mediocre and how he takes his Wednesday morning coffee,"

Donna sniffed once, pulling her chair in closer.

"We'll ignore the first remark, but the coffee tidbit is nice. Try and get him to talk to you more. Don't be pushy but let him know you're interested. You have a problem, you talk to me first before telling Louis,"

"But Louis is my employer," She stuttered, her hands clutching the coffee tightly.

"Louis can also fire you. There's a reason he has so many new secretaries,"

Donna stood up to walk away but not before she heard the dry swallow of her new mentee.

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Selena was an extremely normal twenty-one year old, average athleticism, normal parents, normal hobbies, with an extraordinary boyfriend. The only other extraordinary person in her life went by a name of Louis Litt. She knew she wasn't exactly Pearson Hardman material, but she was a good secretary. She was also good at the occasional odd job.

By the end of the second week, after Louis won the case he'd been working on since she arrived, she prepared him a special surprise. She made it the night before, wasting two batches of cupcake batter and a lot of whip cream. Once she finally finished, there was batter everywhere and frosting lined the tabletop. She wrapped the cupcake in plastic wrap with a tiny pink ribbon. She double checked the ingredients, so no allergic reactions would happen, but she carried a spare epipen for him just in case in her purse and another one in her desk drawer. On that Friday when he was packing up his things in the office, she knocked and entered. Her new heels wobbled slightly against the soft carpet. She hid the cupcake behind her back. He glanced up at her, smelling her cherry blossom perfume.

"I have a surprise for you,"

His grin vanished but he humored her, his briefcase in his chair, his hands frozen in motion. She placed it on his desk, the rainbow sprinkles seeming childish to her now, but it was too late to take it back. She could tell he wasn't impressed. His nose scrunched up.

"It's an irish coffee cupcake. I thought you might like the extra caffeine for the call to your parents tonight,"

His hands went to his hips and his head tilted right.

"How'd you know about my parents?"

She ignored the question, her heels a little easier to walk forward in.

"It's chocolate cake with espresso butter cream and chocolate whiskey ganache. There are no ingredients to set off your allergies. I made it as a celebration,"

He continued packing papers. She was walking out, her smile fading when he asked her one question.

"You would've had to prepare this last night, before the verdict was out. How did you know I would win?"

She looked back over her shoulder, her common brown hair turning golden under the fluorescent lights in the office.

"You've won almost every civil case you've ever gotten. Your mock trial senior year of college was almost identical to this one, just with different names and faces. How could you not win?"

One of his eyebrows raised, "You searched through my college cases?"

She turned her head back around, continuing on her way, "I've gone through your middle school debate trials. Tell your mother I say hello,"

That was the first time Louis felt something toward his mediocre assistant.

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She had been Louis Litt's official secretary for three weeks, not counting the first trial week. It had been a normal winding down to the week. She now prepared each of his coffees in the morning, memorizing the recipes as quickly as she got them. He gave her a smile on an average of two times per week and sometimes a wave. If it was a really good day he would say her name. At half past twelve he would eat lunch, usually in his office since the new flood of cases. At approximately 1:09 he would ask her to bring in some water with an alka seltzer tablet.

Donna and Rachael accepted her into their lunch group now and they would gossip and sometimes talk about work. She told them about her night school, how she was paying for it with this job and another one she worked in the mornings. Everyone seemed to notice her more when she walked with Donna or Rachael. Mike had made a ritual of greeting her in the morning and even Harvey Specter said hello once. Louis let her handle more of his client issues over the phone, teaching her basic lawyer techniques and rhythms to calm down the client. The more work he gave her the more he liked her, or at least that was what Donna said. She hadn't baked another cupcake though.

When the big clock hand struck 1:11 and he still hadn't buzzed her for his water she knew something was wrong. Biting her nails she got up from her desk, and knocked on the door. When she entered she found him gasping over his lunch container and immediately sprung into action. She stepped out of her heels and ran to her cubicle. She pulled out the epipen and sprinted to him. He was trying to swallow now, any way to get oxygen into his lungs. She wrapped his hand around the epipen and thrust the needle into his thigh, tearing a hole in the expensive suit. She rubbed circles on his back, the cotton suit soft under her palm. Her other hand was on his shoulder, trying to reassure him. She held her phone at the ready to call 911 if he started acting up again. Her heels lay discarded a few feet away. The epipen was on his desk, all used up. When his breaths were still fast even though several minutes passed she started instructing him.

"Breathe with me. Easy in, 1, 2, 3. Hold for a second. Breathe out 1, 2, 3, 4,"

She encouraged him, her lips never leaving his ears. Her hair fell out of that same sloppy bun and fell over his shoulder. He could smell her cherry blossom fragrance. His breaths evened out as she slowly straightened up. She put on her black heels, her stockings sweaty and clinging to her calves. She pushed her brown curls behind her left ear before leaving and returning with his alka seltzer water. She took his lunch and cleared up the crumbs, leaning across him instead of behind him. After she threw out his lunch and he took a few sloppy sips from his water she came back into his office. She put her hand on his forearm, twisting his chair toward her.

"You have a two o'clock with Mr. Paver. Should I reschedule?"

He didn't respond, his eyes searching hers before she took charge for him.

"I'll reschedule for tomorrow and clear the other appointment. Jessica dropped off some papers for you before lunch, you can work on today instead,"

He grabbed her hand before she walked away,

"Thank you Selena,"

That was the second time he felt something for his secretary.


End file.
